Folding stretcher.



J. LIESKOVAN.

FOLDING STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE H. 1914. RENEWED MAR. 6. 1916.

I 1,121,876. Patented May 9,1916.

IO'O O JOSEPH LIESKOVAN, OF EACH, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Application filed June 11, 1914, Serial No. 844,482. Renewed March 6, 1916. Serial No. 82,486'

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josurn LIESKOVAN, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Bach, in the county of Huron and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in folding stretchers.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a stretcher for carrying a person by the employment of traction wheels and formed in such a manner that the parts thereof may be folded together for storage purposes when the device is not desired for use.

A further object is to provide a foldable stretcher frame with a removable mattress member secured thereto and furnished with locking means for retaining the parts in their operative positions.

A still further object is to provide a wheeled stretcher having a foldable frame and telescoping handle for propelling the device while a mattress member is removably secured thereto.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claim.

in the drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views :Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view of the wheeled form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with the mattress member partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tongue detached, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the upper side of one of the hinge connections between the members. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the under side thereof.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, it will be seen that a rectangular stretcher frame 10 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 as mounted upon the axle 11 of the ground wheels 12 and thereby forming a carriage stretcher, it being noted that a mattress member 13 and here illustrated in the form of a strip of canvas is removably-attached to the upper surface of the frame by means of eyelets 14 in the canvas engaging over upmtrdly-projecting pins 15 carried by the frame.

Opposite end portions 16 are hinged to the side bars 17 of the frame by means of hinges 18 positioned upon the top of the frame and whereby, as will be evident, said end portions 16 either with the canvas secured thereto or removed therefrom may be folded over inwardly upon the side bars 17 and between the wheels 12.

A tongue member 25 of the form illustrated in Fig. 3 is provided slidably-positioned upon the axle 11 and extending through a U-shaped strap 19 carried by said axle. A downwardly-projecting end lug 20 and an intermediate lug 21 being positioned upon the tongue, limits the sliding movement thereof. The end lug 20 prevents the tongue from being disengaged from the carriage while the intermediate lug 21 limits the inward movement of the tongue by engaging the aXle 11, the tongue being thus positionable when not desired for use in the dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 1.

When the tongue is withdrawn for use, a hook carried by the top thereof may be turned for engaging over the front portion 16 of the frame for preventing the retraction of the tongue. Hooks 23 are carried by the end members 16 and adapted to engage pins 24 carried at the opposite ends of the side bars 17 and on the lower faces thereof when the end members are operatively positioned, which hooks thereby retain the frame in its unfolded form.

It will be apparent from this description that the stretcher frame provided with the canvas mattress may be readily pushed around by means of the tongue 25 and its handles 26, and upon its wheels 12, while by disengaging the hook 22 and the retaining hooks 27 which are carried by the axle 11 and engage the tongue, the tongue may be readily positioned inwardly out of the way and at which time, by disengaging the hooks 23 of the frame, the end members 16 may be folded inwardly between the wheels 12, thus forming a compact folded stretcher movable as may be desired upon its carriage wheels. The hooks 27 are adapted to engage the staples 38 carried by the tongue when the tongue is projected, While said hooks 27 are engageable With the staples 39 when the tongue is retracted to its inward inoperative position.

While the form of the invention herein shown and described is What is believed to be preferable embodiment thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that various forms, vmodifications, and arrangement of the parts may be had Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is A stretcher comprising side bars adapted to receive a supporting mattress, end portionshing'ed to the ends of said side bars and foldable thereon, an axle located beneath the centers of the side bars, Wheels on said axle, a tongue connected slidably to said axle for movement longitudinally beneath the side bars, and means on the tongue to engage one of said end portions and thereby lock the tongue in extended position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of three Witnesses.

111s JOSEPH LIESKOVAN.

mark Witnesses:

P. F. WERsoHKY,

A. GoNnA, S. RPARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, 11.0. 

